


you’re the one (you’re the unbreakable heart)

by monarchsephie



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir is So Whipped, Akumatized Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Character Death, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Idiots in Love, Letters, Lila Rossi Bashing, Lila Rossi dies, Love Letters, M/M, Multi, One Shot, One Shot Collection, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Short One Shot, Swords, Temporary Character Death, Two Shot, as of right now, blood and injury wanring on chapter 5, he’d do anything for her, i might come for alya or caline next, its not too graphic, it’s temporary dw, marinette has him wrapped around her little finger, mischievous marinette, or damocles or the mayor, possibly chloé, there is a tiny bit of salt, there will be more salt i the future
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:15:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25545748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/monarchsephie/pseuds/monarchsephie
Summary: aka a one (or two) shot based on the mw word of the day. i will attempt to write at least a drabble for the word, so expect almost daily updates! (in lowercase for the~aesthetics~)
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Nino Lahiffe, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Kagami Tsurugi, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Kagami Tsurugi, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Kagami Tsurugi, Alya Césaire & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe, Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Kagami Tsurugi, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Comments: 4
Kudos: 107





	1. Chapter 1

day 1: epistolary

written in the form of a series of letters

—

_dear adrien,_

_the first time we met, i made a horrible assumption about you. you were trying to help, but because of chloe, i assumed you were trying to mess with me. i yelled and got angry, and you had no reason to even think i was a nice person._

_but the next day, you gave me your umbrella and apologized even though i was being ridiculous (utterly ridiculous—). you could’ve ignored me, or been angry with me, or even disliked me. but you apologized when it should’ve been me saying sorry._

_you gave me your umbrella._

_you probably don’t remember, but it meant the world to me. it showed me, even if it was for a split second, that you had a heart of gold._

_i started falling for you._

_at first, it was this stupid crush that made me stutter and blush because i was a little intimidated by you. but i got past that, fairly quickly, and i got to know you._

_not the facade you out up to please your father, or the mask of ‘pretty model’, or the restrained one you wear at school._

_no, i got to know adrien._

_pun loving, video game playing, anime obsessed adrien. the one who laughs until he cries at bad jokes and stuffs half a croissant in his mouth even when they’re too hot. the one that cares almost too much for his friends and cradles soft loathing for his father._

_i think that’s when i realized that i love you._

_it was simple really._

_one day, we were sitting in my room, i had brought a tray of croissants up. i told you they were too hot but you still shoved half of one in you mouth. you still complained that it was too hot with your mouth full. you were working on french homework, and your eyebrows scrunched adorably, and i sat there, trying a failing to focus on physics._

_and then you looked up at me, made a bread pun with that stupid goofy smile, and shoved the other half of the croissant into your mouth. you complained that it was too hot with your mouth full._

_and i realized i love you._

_not perfect model, perfect son, perfect adrien agreste._

_no, i love the adrien agreste who leaves his socks laying on the floor, who takes up too much space on the couch, who eats croissants too fast, who scrunches his eyebrows when he pouts, who makes bad puns, who offered to marry me if it meant free pastries._

_that’s the adrien i fell for._

_with love,_

_marinette._

—

the letter sat heavily in her bag, taped to a box of croissants, in a light pink envelope.

today was the day. now or never.

she made her way towards her friends.

adrien would let her down softly. he was nice like that.

she still didn’t know if she’d be able to take it.

“hey, mari! it’s nice to see you on time!” alya smiled and waved. alya would comfort her.

“hey, als.” she turned to the rest of the group. “hey, nino. hi, adrien.”

“hey mari!” nino slid one side of his headphones off. “do you mind listening to this mix later?”

“yeah! no problem.” she smiled and thought that maybe she’d be okay if adrien didn’t like her back.

“oh! what’s that?”

adrien’s interest in the croissant box made her stomach turn.

“oh! right.” she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and held the box towards him. “croissants. for you.”

“me?” adrien put a dramatic hand to his chest. “to what do i owe the pleasure of being graced with dupain-cheng pastries?”

she giggled, equal parts nervous and amused. “open the box and find out.”

alya must’ve noticed the way her face was pale and she clutched her backpack straps a little too tightly.

“nino, i’m going to talk to mari, we’ll be back in a moment.” alya pressed a kiss to nino’s cheek, and laced her arm in marinette’s. “last minute sleep over plans.”

marinette was suddenly even more grateful for her best friend. “thank you,” she whispered.

“of course. good call, doing this on friday.” alya smiled reassuringly. “but, you’ve always been smart. let’s watch the boys, yeah?”

alya had guided them to the other side of the stairs and leaned them up against the stone rail. she really was the best.

“okay, we need to seem like we’re talking in case they look over. we should plan an actual weekend of fun. are you busy?” alya was looking at her from the corner of her eye.

marinette shoved down the anxiety and nausea. she’d be okay. she had alya. nino. her parents. she’d be fine.

“no, my whole weekend is free, we should have a girl’s weekend.” alya nodded and marinette continued. “you can come over tonight, we’ll watch movies, eat too much food, cry if necessary. we can even kick my parent’s out for the weekend. god knows they need it.”

alya threw her head back and laughed, and marinette wonders... if nino hadn’t wisened up, if adrien wasn’t in the picture, would she have fallen for alya? the answer: absolutely.

“yeah they do. you think paris can handle a weekend without the greatest pastries ever?” alya was fully facing her now, and marinette could imagine that the dread in her stomach was fake.

“totally. and then saturday we can go on a date! go out for breakfast, then shopping, then lunch and ice cream! and we can go to the park, maybe meet up with the other girls? we could catch a movie!” marinette loved planning outings with alya.

“trying to steal me from nino? girl, if he was gone, i’d snatch you up in a heartbeat, you’re so sweet!” alya smiled and marinette let the world fall away.

“now, alya, i couldn’t possibly do that to poor nino, we both know—“

and then the world was back because adrien was right there and he had the dopiest grin she’d ever seen on his face.

“nette? can we talk?” if his dopey grin was an indicator, she was not about to be rejected.

“of course.” marinette pushed off the banister and looked back at alya. she got two thumbs up and a smile.

they walked in silence for a moment before they passed through the school doors. adrien was leading her to the locker room.

“that letter was really sweet, nette.” he leaned up against a locker and smiled at her.

she felt even smaller under his gaze.

she sat on the bench in front of him and stayed silent.

“nette?” she looked up, to find him much closer than before. “the second happiest moment of my life would be if you agreed to be my girlfriend.”

second?

“second?” wait no—he’s going to flirt, she can’t handle this right now.

“the first would be if you said yes to marrying me, but i’m pretty sure we’re too young still.”

she didn’t know if he leaned in or if she leaned in, but very suddenly they were kissing and everything was right in the world but—

chat.

adrien.

oh.

oh.

she felt like the biggest idiot in the world.

when they broke, she giggled. “we’re stupid, kitty.”

she saw him process the words, the implications.

and then she was in his arms, and they were spinning and laughing and then everything was really right in the world.

and she definitely pulled him in for this kiss.

“what in the world—“

oh.

lila.

marinette smiled, sickly sweet, and looked lila straight in the eyes.

“look who won, lie-la.”


	2. Chapter 2

day 2: anomaly 

something different, abnormal, peculiar, or not easily classified.

—

alya had no idea what was going on. first, her best friend shows up to class in a dress. if there is one thing alya knows about marinette it’s that she does not wear dresses, unless there is an occasion.

second, marinette looked dead tired, yet somehow energetic. not bounce off the walls, excited, energy, but more i am having a good day, nothing is going to drag me down.

marinette often stays up late and gets up early, meaning she’s tired. marinette exists in a constant state of ‘tired and loopy’ so she knows how to deal with that. she does not know how to deal with ‘exhausted and confident’.

and third, marinette was currently flirting with adrien. who was blushing.

the first two items on this list can be brushed off. maybe marinette got less sleep than normal. maybe she didn’t get her coffee. maybe she got more sleep than normal. maybe she’s sick.

the last one is an improbability that seems so preposterous that alya would’ve sent you to a psych ward fifteen minutes ago. but now? now alya thinks _she_ need to go to a psych ward. or maybe marinette.

right. marinette. marinette sitting, legs crossed, leaning back on one hand, on adrien’s desk, talking and flirting and laughing like it’s _normal._

alya knows she’s not alone in her gaping. marinette was cute, and she could be confident, but she did _not_ flirt, and she did _not_ make boys look at her like she hung the stars and the moon. (except maybe nathaniel, but that boy is gay as fuck.)

but here she was, flirting and adrien was looking at her like she hung the stars, the moon, and all the galaxies. absolutely ridiculous.

this had to be an akuma, right? or maybe alya hit her head too hard. or maybe _marinette_ hit her head. wouldn’t be the first time, the girl is clumsy.

“nino,” alya leaned over to whisper to her boyfriend. the silence of the classroom despite the 13 other people was a testament to how out of the ordinary this was. “are we hallucinating?”

nino didn’t respond.

okay. maybe this really was an akuma.

marinette hopped off adrien’s desk, and sauntered— _sauntered_ —to her seat. no floundering or tripping.

this _had_ to be an akuma. that was the only feasible explanation.

“girl!” alya tugged marinette’s arm. okay, not an illusion, so volpina and someone with the fox miraculous are out. “what was _that!”_

marinette tilted her head in a very marinette fashion. “what?”

alya gestured strongly in adrien’s direction. “oh! that? what, i can’t talk to my boyfriend? what has society progressed to? next your going to tell me premarital eye contact is frowned upon.”

class started before alya could question her further, and boy, _did she have questions._


	3. Chapter 3

day 3: mesmerize

spellbind

—

he shifts his weight a little, readjusting one foot just the slightest, mentally taking in to account his weight, the distance, gravity, force. his tail flicks, and he shifts his right hand to the left an inch.

and then he pounces.

his face meets the chaise lounge and both go sliding into the wall with a resounding _bang_!

marinette’s loud laughter rings out, and if he weren’t busy being fake upset he’d stare. because kwami—she is just so pretty.

“stop laughing, princess! i hit my face!” he rubs the place where the chaise met his cheek, and crosses one arm over his chest.

“sorry... sorry.” she sits up and swipes the tears from her eyes. “you better not have dented my wall, alley cat.”

eyes as blue as the sky, pretty and clear and sparkling. the same shade as bluebells, bright and soft and warm and caring. deep as the sea, always in motion, planning, thinking, knowing.

he blinks and snaps out of it. he feels a blush rising to his cheeks and he glances away from her. it doesn’t last long, she’s like a magnet. pulling him, all of him, not just his eyes, towards her. the urge to touch, to cuddle and caress and kiss and hold, to protect, to love—it was almost overwhelming at times.

marinette’s head is tilted cutely, and her brows are just the slightest bit furrowed, and he catches sight of one pigtail still bouncing a little—

and _wow_ , marinette is distracting.

he shakes himself and rolls onto his feet. he offers one hand to help his princess, the other sweeping behind him as he dips into a bow.

she giggles at him and slips her hand—much smaller than his, and colder, too, she runs cold, he always found that odd, his lady runs cold too—and he pulls her to her feet.

“thank you, kitty.” she curtsies and he gasps.

“a princess, curtsying and thanking me? i am but your knight, your majesty, here to serve.” he drops into an even more exaggerated, low bow, and her laughter holds his ears captive.

it’s tinkling and high and beautiful. like a bell, clear and loud. the only other person who can hold his attention so thoroughly is—

“milady,” his mind is whirring, connecting dots and making startling realizations, and he wants to cry because he _could’ve lost her._

“silly chaton, are you just now figuring this out?” she’s not angry. just amused. the quirk of her lips and the twinkle in her eyes draw him in, comforting and teasing and absolutely lovely.

he watches her face curl into a smile and he counts the freckles on her nose, and he wonders if she’s purposefully letting him stare. he doesn’t mind—she’s beauty incarnate.

his mind is a mess, but watching her—seeing her move, hearing her laugh, feeling her cold skin on his too hot skin—oh.

she’s kissing him.

she tastes like pastries and sugar and mint and—god, she has every part of him, his heart, his mind, his soul. she’s his perfect match, his other half, the yin to his yang—literally.

they were made for each other, and the miraculous could sense that. the miraculous brought them together.

“i love you, adrien.”

“i love you too, marinette.”


	4. Chapter 4

day 4: pejorative 

having negative connotations

—

_“marinette, your designs are to die for!”_

_“i absolutely adore marinette’s style! so chic and cute!”_

_“marinette? she’s the best!”_

_“oh yeah! she’s awesome! she designed jagged stone’s album cover and his awesome glasses!”_

_“marinette is in my class, actually, and i can say that she is a total sweetheart!”_

all day, lila had been singing her praise. if it were anyone else, marinette would stutter through thanks and ask them to tone it down. but it was lila, and the whole situation smelled like wet dog. 

even alya, steadfastly on lila’s side and not willing to fact check—even though she’s literally a journalist! marinette had agonized over the dumb sheep flock she called a class to kagami repeatedly—anything lila said, could tell something was up. 

one thing that was true from lila’s mouth: marinette and lila do not get along. 

even before lila started spouting lies, something about the italian had rubbed marinette the wrong way. but then she was justified not five minutes later by the lies out of her mouth. 

marinette was on guard all day. she checked over her shoulder constantly, watched her feet closely, and kept a strangle hold on her bags. her muscles were starting to get sore from how tense she was, and by lunch she had to forcibly relax. 

which did her no good. in fact, it probably made things worse. 

because lila struck at lunch. 

—

“hi, do you guys mind if i sit with you?” lila had taken aurore’s usual spot before she even stopped speaking. “thanks!”

kagami, opting to keep herself forcefully calm, didn’t say anything. adrien was withholding a violent snarl. juleka looked like she had words to say, but she held her tongue. and aurore, of course, hadn’t arrived yet. 

each of then turned to marinette. 

“hello, lie-la,” marinette made sure the emphasis on her name was proper. “why are you in aurore’s seat?” 

lila gave a too sweet smile, “i just wanted to talk to you! i know we got off on the wrong foot before, i think we should give it another try!” 

marinette’s mind whirred, and a plan was formulated. her bluebell eyes shifted to adrien’s and he nodded shortly. he would spread the plan to kagami, juleka and aurore, if the last girl were to appear. 

currently, the plan was ‘follow my lead, i know what i’m doing.’ 

“well, then. let’s.” marinette made her way around the table next to lila’s chair. “hi!” marinette gave a smile and tilted her head. her hands clasped behind her back, and she rocked onto the balls of her feet and back. “my name is marinette dupain-cheng! my favorite color is pink, i love cats and designing clothes! i don’t like sour things and i hate liars!” 

to anyone else, marinette was introducing herself. 

to those who knew her, marinette was paving a path to collapse lila’s den of lies. 

lila, to her credit, looked apprehensive, but she took the offered hand anyway. if marinette held it a but too tight and shook a bit too hard, well no one would know. 

“hi, my name is lila rossi,” she didn’t give anything else, and the confused look lingered even as she stole away with her tray of food. 

marinette sat back down, smile a but too wide and eyes a bit too cold, and the table sat in silence for a moment. at least, until the cafeteria erupted and aurore sat down. 

“what was that?!” aurore whisper yelled at them, eyes darting from table to table and to each of her friends. 

adrien had his eyes locked on marinette, kagami was frowning at her phone, and juleka had her head tilted like she was listening. chloé, though not at their table, was on their side. and she was typing furiously, looking every but the bitch she was rumored to be. 

aurore got her answer when marinette shifted and drew her attention. her face was the image of innocence, but her eyes sparked with something gleeful and dark. it sent shivers down aurore’s back. 

“that? that was the start of the fall of lila rossi. this will be like stealing candy from a baby.” marinette’s face turned devious as she leaned towards adrien. 

“kitty, we kill her with kindness got it?” marinette whispered. 

“of course, milady.” the signature chat noir smirk painted his face. 

marinette had brought the big guns. 

—

what happened over the course of the next week would forever baffle the students of françiose dupont. 

it seemed to be a battle of kindness. 

lila would spout lies—not that they new that—and marinette would ask a few seemingly innocent questions. or make a sweet remark. 

it seemed to her classmates she was back to normal, kind, sweet marinette. which means they all returned to normal. the class had been so off kilter without her that they had latched onto lila, it seemed. 

on friday, the war cane to an end with exploding force. 

—

“—and i asked clara not to say anything, i didn’t want to embarrass the poor guy!” lila brought one hand up to fiddle with her bangs, seemingly the image of sheepish. 

“wow! you’re honestly too nice, lila!” marinette smiled her smile and the class turned their attention to her. “i was talking to her earlier about her commissions from me, and she seemed so upset that she doesn’t have time for all of her fans! you must’ve really cheered her up!” 

and lila snapped. 

she screamed and raved and exposed herself, while marinette sat, huddled under adrien’s arm. to anyone else, she seemed to be crying, with her hidden face, shaking shoulders, and on her grasping adrien’s shirt. adrien knew she was laughing. as did chloé, who looked entirely unimpressed, and juleka who had headphones in. 

and when lila finally stopped her angry tirade, there was silence. 

before marinette giggled.

and then adrien laughed. and chloé snickered and juleka smiled, and then all four were barely upright bundles of almost hysterical laughter. 

marinette was wiping tears form her face and clutching her side, leaning heavily on adrien who was in much the same state. 

silence reigned after they calmed down, and all four stood and left. 

kagami, luka, and aurore met them on the steps. 

“so, did she snap?” aurore looked almost too excited. if marinette didn’t feel the same way she might’ve been concerned. 

“snap? she exploded!” chloé showed them the video of lila’s screaming fit, and the friends were thrown back into peals of laughter. 

—

lila did not show up monday. or tuesday. and on wednesday, madame bustier told them she transferred back to italy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> in case it wasn’t clear, the negative connotation is when lila is ‘complimenting’ marinette, and then the lunch scene. lila was hoping to rile marinette up and make her seem worse in the eyes of the students. instead, marinette met her on the battle field and in the end, she won.


	5. Chapter 5

day 5: catastrophe

a momentous tragic event ranging from extreme misfortune to utter overthrow or ruin

—

chat noir—pun loving, flirty, goofball, one half of the super hero duo of paris. one might think he is highly accomplished and proud of those accomplishments. 

one would be incorrect. 

chat noir has made many mistakes in his time as a hero. he agonizes and stresses over every single one. 

but this? this takes the entire buffet table. 

and it all started with a girl named lila.

—

“take the high road!” he had said. 

“she’s not hurting anyone!” he said. 

adrien agreste was many things and wrong was usually one of them. 

and boy, was he wrong. he didn’t realize—didn’t know. he grew up in a world where if you ignore the people hounding after you, they go away. he had zero experience with people as malicious and confusing as lila. 

he still felt guilty. they weren’t good excuses. they were flimsy at best. and the time it took him to realize his mistake—he wanted to go back with the rabbit miraculous and punch himself in the face. 

marinette should’ve torn lila down. the world would be a much nicer place if lila had just gotten akumatized again. but no. the akuma this time sent shivers of pure terror down his spine. 

—

“good morning, marinette!” adrien slid into the bench at the back of the room. 

the girl next to him did not respond. she didn’t even shift. she just sat, blankly staring out the window. 

he had noticed her retreating, closing herself off and avoiding the class, but this was new. she usually had at least a weak smile for him. 

before he could address the situation, ask marinette what was wrong, or even scrunch his eyebrows, alya was standing over marinette’s desk, both hands perched on her hips. her face was twisted in anger and shock. 

“girl! what were you thinking! you’ve really gone off the deep end this time, marinette!” alya crossed her arms, and pursed her lips. “i thought you could at least be civil!”

marinette didn’t respond, but she did turn to face alya. she looked tired and weary, on the verge of collapse. adrien’s worry spiked. 

“seriously? you’ve got nothing to say?” alya seemed to be getting angrier by the second, and adrien scanned the windows for butterflies. lady wifi—if that’s who alya would become—was not fun, no matter how many times they fought. “say something!” alya slammed her hands down on the desk, yelling, and adrien startled. 

“go away, please, alya.” was the only response the reporter received. 

alya huffed, crossed her arms, and stormed off, back to lila’s side. lila appeared to be crying and leaning on mylène. 

it was then that adrien realized his monumental mistake. 

lila was hurting someone. she was hurting marinette. the distance between the dark hair girl and the class wasn’t growing apart—it was lila. lila was attempting to isolate and ostracize marinette. 

“marinette, i am so sorry, i didn’t—“ he was very surprised when she turned to him with—fury, pain, hurt, betrayal in her eyes. 

“you didn’t know. you didn’t bother to try and figure things out. you didn’t even ask after me.” marinette sighed and seemed to brace herself. “don’t apologize to me. i don’t want to hear it. three weeks ago, i would’ve accepted. three weeks ago, i had a stupid crush on you. but the past three weeks have rectified that little thing. you’ve got no backbone, adrien. you’re more of a doormat than i was. maybe it works for you, but it doesn’t for me. growing a spine got me hurt, but it was better than letting people trample me.” 

she didn’t speak to him for the rest of class. 

he tried to pass notes, tried to ask her to talk to him later—even just text him later, let him explain, let him grovel at her feet, live a life indebted to her, anything. 

but she stared out the window and ignored her surroundings. 

—

he was sighing at his locker when he heard it. 

growing voices. 

“—nette! i thought i knew you, but obviously it was all a front!” it was alya. she probably cornered marinette—oh no. 

adrien’s panic was turned to anger when he heard something suspiciously slap-like sound out. 

“it’s the least she deserves!” alya yelled, and two other voices sounded frantic. there was a scuffle—shifting clothes and little cries—and then the sound of scrambling sneakers and grunts. 

the doors to the locker room swung shut. 

adrien moved as fast as he could around the lockers and benches, scrambling to find marinette, save marinette, comfort marinette—

he was too late. 

by the time he rounded the last corner, black and purple magic was already engulfing her. something small and shiny fell out of her grasp, and he saw a glint of red as they hit the floor. 

but he didn’t have time to wonder on the objects, as she was already emerging from her magic cocoon. 

a long, greek style robe swayed around her, draped elegantly over her figure. at her shoulders, shiny silver clasps held it together. a matching belt wrapped around her waist. 

two large, white wings brushed the ground behind her. in one hand she held a long, thin sword, the tip touching the ground. her pale skin had lost almost all color, but it seemed to sparkle and shimmer when she moved. 

her normal pigtails were replace by one bun on the crown of her head. sat around the bun was an intricate silver headpiece. on either side of it was a scale. her eyes were covered by a silver cloth, and tears of the same color streamed out from under it. 

adrien once again scrambled, but this time to find somewhere to transform. this was not good. in fact, this was very bad. very, very bad. probably the worst thing that could’ve happened. 

adrien knew it was his fault. if she hadn’t taken his stupid advice—if he hadn’t given her, his princess, such idiotic advice... this wouldn’t be happening. lila would probably be a known liar, marinette would still have her friends, and he wouldn’t be crying—

was he crying? 

he had slid to a stop by some empty lockers, and he could hear her footsteps, her wings dragging on the ground along with the tip of her sword. she was humming something. 

and yes, he was crying. he was breathing too heavy, and his hands were trembling. 

this was very bad. 

after what felt like an eternity, he finally heard the locker room doors open and close, and her footsteps faded as she went farther. 

she was different—most akuma’s went after their target quickly and violently. she had stalked out of the locker room quietly, deliberately. 

he knew he could not fight her. he couldn’t fight his princess. 

—

with marinette, things were going much better than expected. 

sure, she was wrapped and warped by akuma magic, and hawkmoth seemed to think she would listen to him, but on the bright side, she had the ability to discern the truth or force it out of someone. 

so she left the locker room, humming her melody—the one luka said sang in her heart. 

she knew adrien was in there. she didn’t care much for him. he would get his justice in time, but for now she need to see the rest of her class. 

no one was in the halls. classes had already started, it seemed. 

good. she wouldn’t want to cause a panic. 

she picked her sword up off the ground as she got to the stairs, and rested it over her shoulder. 

this would be nice. 

she slid the classroom door open calmly and waited for the class to turn to her. 

she saw them pale, and some of them tried to get away. madame bustier, to her credit, only backed away. 

“hello,” marinette paused for a moment. her voice sounded different. it was metallic, empty. “please, stay seated. i am only here for a few of you.” 

they still tried to hide or leave, so she slammed her sword into the ground. “hold still and shut up!” 

“lila rossi,” she tugged her sword out of the ground and pointed it at the italian. “confess your lies willingly, or i will force the truth out of you.” 

lila was putting on a show. tears, trembling, the whole shebang. 

marinette was glad she couldn’t see physically. 

“marinette—“ alya started, one arm resting over the liar’s shoulders.

“shut up, césaire.” marinette shifted the sword to her. “you’ll get your turn. now, lila. fess up or i stab you and let the truth bleed out of you.”

lila let out a cry, and flinched in on herself. 

“alright, bleed it out of you it is.” marinette toon the necessary steps froward and plunged her sword through lila’s heart. 

the class went still and silent, and lila started whispering. none of them could hear it, but marinette caught each word. they were rushed, almost blending together, but never stumbling or stuttering. 

the class watched in horror and lila bled around the sword and whispered desperately to marinette. 

when lila finally slumped over, her shirt was completely soaked with her blood, and it was pooling on the bench around her. 

“who’s next?” marinette pulled the sword from lila’s body and it was still shiny and clean. 

nobody else came forward, so marinette moved on to alya. “confess, or bleed, sheep.” 

alya still stared in shocked horror at lila’s body. her mind was reeling. 

“alright,” but before she could plunge her sword into alya, it was knocked out of her hands. “oh? so the kitty has come to play?” 

marinette turned to chat noir, and smiled. the silver tears still rolled down her cheeks, and her scales were now tipped heavily to the left. 

“hello, princess. long time no see. i do wish it was under better circumstances, though.” chat retracted his baton and leaned on it. “you want to tell me where your akuma is?” 

marinette smiled and pulled her head piece off. “here you are, kitty.” 

chat, shocked that she actually handed it over, cataclysm-ed the crown. he trapped the butterfly in his hand, and watched as marinette’s transformation bubbled off her. 

“now, if only ladybug were here...” chat frowned at his hand the body slumped at the desk. 

marinette was collapsed on the floor, looking pale and shaken. 

she whispered something that caused his ear to twitch. 

“what was that, princess?” he leaned down to catch it. 

“the earrings are in the locker room.” chat froze. 

he didn’t move for several seconds, while his brain pieced everything together. 

marinette is ladybug. 

ladybug—marinette. 

she—his princess—was also her—his lady? 

he blinked a few times and then steady himself. freak out later, be mister bug now. 

this akuma wasn’t going to cleanse itself, after all. 

—

twenty minutes later—one earring had rolled under the lockers—and the akuma was cleansed and the damage—one deceased lila rossi and some scratches on the floor—was undone. 

the physical damage.

it didn’t erase the fact that the class had watched as marinette stabbed and killed lila. 

of course, now they knew lila was a liar, but it didn’t change that they had watched her bleed out. 

marinette was huddled in a corner by the door, staring blankly at the wall across from her with tears falling. she didn’t blink, and she didn’t move when the class started yelling. 

adrien slammed the door closed behind him. they shut up. 

“alya, kim, alix, lila—most of you, actually—this is your fault. you refused to listen to someone who has proven herself trustworthy and reliable. you, alya, were a hypocrite.” adrien stood at the front of the room and pointed out each of their failings and mistakes for half an hour. 

“i’m definitely not innocent. i messed up probably worse than all of you,” her turned on his heel and stepped towards marinette. her tears had stopped falling, but she was still unresponsive and staring into middle distance. “someone call an ambulance.” 

he kneeled at her side. “marinette?” he placed one hand on her shoulder, gently. “i am so sorry. i don’t deserve forgiveness, or a second chance, or to even talk to you again. i gave you shitty advice, i was a shitty friend. i just hope that one day we can be friends. actual friends, where i don’t give you shitty advice and mess up your life.” 

the ambulance arrived five minutes later. madame bustier called marinette’s parents, and adrien needed to have words with his father. 

he had messed up. caused a catastrophe. hurt marinette. 

but he was going to fix it, even if it took his entire fortune and his whole life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> marinette basically cut the connection to hawkmoth and took his power for herself. she wasn’t very aware of what she was doing, she was very much being controlled by her emotions. everyone has that part of them, the one that smiles at revenge and laughs at pain, that we shove down deep in the back of our minds. well, most of us shove it down. anyway, that’s the part of marinette that took advantage of the akuma. she doesn’t remember what happened. she wasn’t in control of her actions. she’s still referred to as marinette by herself and others because she severed the connection with hawkmoth and because hawkmoth has bad at naming his villains. seriously, his naming abilities suck. hawkmoth? he is neither a hawk nor a moth, and he wields the _butterfly_ miraculous. that’s not saying the heroes are any better. i mean, the temp heroes are. rena rouge, carapace, viperion, ryuko, king monkey, even aspik, all better names. multimouse, pegasus, ladybug, and chat noir are subpar. this has gotten off topic. anyway, i hoped you enjoyed it. i was tempted to leave lila dead. marinette handed over her crown because in her eyes, she had done what she needed to—destroy lila’s web of lies and expose her to the class.


	6. Chapter 6

day 6: rife

prevalent especially to an increasing degree

—

adrien was waxing poetically about marinette. 

it wasn’t a new occurrence. but it was happening more often. 

but every time nino tried to get adrien to see that he was head over heals for the designer, adrien would brush him off with, “marinette is just a friend.” 

even if he sounded a bit bitter, he still smiled and the topic changed. 

but that doesn’t change the fact that nino had been listening to adrien’s mooning everyday of this week. adrien had basically written marinette several sonnets, and a speech, and two songs. 

nino wanted to shake adrien until his organs were a smoothie, but he had the feeling he would still call marinette ‘just a friend’ on his death bed. so nino refrained. 

he plopped into the seat next to alya and banged his head on the desk. 

“what’s wrong, babe?” on of alya’s hands started rubbing circles on his back. 

“adrien is an idiot.” nino groaned and turned his head towards alya. 

she raised on eyebrow and threw a glance at him. “what’s new?”

“he’s written mari like, three sonnets! he has a speech prepared to tell her how great she is! he’s told me about two songs he wrote that were ‘inspired by marinette’ and ‘no, i’m not in love with her, nino, she’s just a friend.’” nino slumped back onto the desk and heaved a sigh. “he’s blind, alya!” 

“yeah.” alya went back to her phone and tapped away. “hey, nino?” 

nino turned his head to look at her, and the smirk on her face would’ve sent him running for the hills. 

“what do you say we set them up on a date?” 

—

nino hated cancelling on adrien. his bro rarely had free time, save when he lied to his father or begged weeks in advance. there were moments that gabriel agreste was... well not sympathetic or soft, but he let he son go out. but rarely. 

so asking adrien to come to the museum and then flaking out hurt his heart. but not as much as the constant mooning over marinette and then calling her ‘just a friend’. 

so it was worth it. 

—

alya had also cancelled on mari. she hadn’t let marinette know adrien was going, she didn’t want the girl to get anxious, but she had told her to wear something on the nice side. 

at first, marinette insisted that they just reschedule. alya shut that down real fast. citing that it was a special exhibit and that she wanted marinette to enjoy it, even if alya was stuck baby sitting. 

alya had no qualms cancelling on marinette, especially if it meant doofus #1 would get his eye sight back. 

seriously, he has to be legally blind to not see her. 

but, this would work. hopefully. maybe. and it was so worth it. 

—

unknown to alya and nino, adrien and marinette were in fact not ‘just friends’. 

it all started with a flying shoe, a puddle, and an accidental up skirt viewing. 

and then adrien, as an apology, offered to get her coffee. they hit it off from there. 

but, armed with knowledge, marinette made a bet. well, more like she strong armed adrien into a suckers bet, and he was so whipped he went with it. (or he really was oblivious, either way, marinette was out to make cash.)

marinette was betting that they would figure it out. if she won, adrien would buy whatever fabric she wanted for two months. 

of course, he would do this anyway, but the bet made marinette feel better about it. she didn’t like being a charity case, even if it was her boyfriend giving it to her. she loved him, but he could keep his family fortune to himself, at least until she’s stabilized herself in the fashion industry. 

if they didn’t figure it out, marinette would bake adrien’s favorite pastries once a week until school started september.

she would, also, do this anyway, but adrien told her that she works too much, and that if she made his favorite all the time she’d be putting more pressure on herself. (she only gave in because he gave her the kitten eyes that she can’t say no to.) 

so here they were, arm in arm, walking through a museum, while pretending not to notice their poorly disguised best friends following after them. 

marinette was pulling all the stops, flirting, touching, giggling, anything to get him to break and kiss her. she might not want to be a charity case but damn, she wanted that mulberry silk. 

and adrien, wanting his pastries and also fearing for his family fortune, was looking at anything except marinette with desperation. 

—

in the end, marinette won. because adrien slipped up at the wrong time. 

he thought he’d be safe, while she was distracted by the exhibit. but he glanced over and she stole his lungs. 

her eyes were wide, beautiful bluebells reflecting the pinpoint lights from the star like lights, galaxies appeared to be swirling in them, giving her a look of both childish wonder and mystifying beauty. 

her lips, tinged pink with lipgloss, shined, slightly parted in awe, and then stretching into a beautiful smile. 

everything else blurred out, and before he knew it, he had swept her into a lip numbing kiss, and thusly lost the bet. 

marinette still made his favorite pastries, but his wallet suffered slightly with the various expensive fabrics marinette picked out. 

—

nino and alya had fallen into a state of shock, and remained slightly shocked until monday, where they were once again thrown into disarray by watching their respective best friends flirt and tease and then _kiss._

“just a friend my ass!” nino slammed his hands down on the lunch table. “you two are cruel and devious. i can’t believe you.” 

alya, properly in the land of the living, nodded along. secretly, deep down inside, she was screaming in pure glee. 

nino still had to deal with adrien running his marinette sonnets by him, and the poetry, and the songs, and everything else, and at this point, nino was starting to think that maybe they should’ve left the two to their bet. but that would’ve delayed the inevitable, which is adrien constantly talking about marinette. 

nino could deal.


	7. Chapter 7

day 7: hotdog

to perform in a conspicuous or often ostentatious manner

—

a.k.a. bananoir turned hotchat. 

—

plagg was a nuisance. if adrien didn’t love him so much, he would’ve given the ring back to master fu ages ago. 

the cheese, the smell of the cheese, the laziness, the kwamibuster incident (which involved _cheese._ ) 

but, there were many, many more pros than cons. 

which is why adrien kept the ring even after plagg caused another kwamibuster incident. this time, it involved pranking madame mendeleiev. 

if plagg were human or even common knowledge, he’d be charged with cruelty. seriously, the poor woman is already stuck inside all day with a bunch of teenagers, did the little god need to mess with her more? 

thankfully, they were not on top of tour montparnasse, and there was no risk of falling to his death because once again, plagg had gotten sucked into the kwami vacuum. 

and once again, adrien had had to find a last minute costume. 

instead of a banana, which was at least somewhat respectable and pun-able, he was stuck in a hotdog costume he had accosted a hot dog vendor for. 

his lady was so going to laugh at him for the rest of eternity. 

—

in the end, multimouse had made one last appearance, and was promptly whisked away by his lady before he could say anything. 

he really—like almost alarmingly—liked the idea that marinette was a hero and they could jump around rooftops together. he decided to have that panic later. he did _not_ want to have a crisis in a hotdog suit. 

“well, you got a punny name this time, kitty?” his lady alighted on the rooftop next to him, as he started to pull the hotdog costume off. 

“shut up,” he grumbled, and maybe he was a _bit_ sour that the ladyblog did have video evidence of hotdog suited chat noir, but that was neither here nor there. 

“aww, poor kitty got his pride hurt by a hotdog costume... oh!” ladybug snapped and held up a finger. “i’ve got it! you’ll be known as hotchat!” 

he did manage a begrudging smile at the pun, especially since it was from ladybug. 

“sure, bug. whatever you say.” he sat on the side of the roof and swung his feet back and forth. 

despite not having been by the arc de triomphe when the battle had taken place, it was the first place he had touched down. 

something about it just felt right at the moment. 

“hey, cat.” ladybug bumped their shoulders together as they sat down. “you know i don’t blame you for not being able to reign your kwami in. they _are_ literal gods. and thousands of years old. tikki can be... a handful and a half, but we’re doing our best.” 

she turned towards the city and sighed. “you’re doing your best.” 

they watched the sun set, and then they parted ways without words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i seriously think this one fits perfectly. the hotdog suit, chat’s personality, the prompt word, and i even managed to add a bit of hurt/comfort in there. just a sprinkle, though.


End file.
